Ulaanbaatar Opens the First True Steps Toward LA 2028 in Judo

The Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam 2026 marks a major turning point in international judo. In Mongolia, the first Olympic qualification points for the Los Angeles 2028 Games are now officially on the line.

That changes everything. For athletes stepping onto the tatami at the AIC Steppe Arena, this weekend is not only about podium places. It is the beginning of a long and demanding road, where every result can matter in the race to reach the next Olympic stage.

During the draw ceremony, IJF Education Director Florin Daniel Lascau underlined the importance of the event, noting that this edition of the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam opens the qualification period for LA 2028. He also pointed to the quality of the field, with ten current world or Olympic champions entered in Mongolia.

The scale of the tournament matches that message. A total of 454 athletes from 58 nations and all five continents are set to compete, showing just how quickly the new Olympic cycle is moving from promise to pressure. The preliminary rounds begin each day at 9:30 a.m., with the final block starting at 5 p.m. local time.

Host officials also framed the event as another important moment for Mongolian judo. Bat-Erdene Baldangombo, State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, Youth and Tourism of Mongolia, welcomed the international judo community and highlighted the steady growth of the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam since its debut in 2022.

On the sporting side, the opening categories already offer serious depth. In the -60 kg division, world number one Balabay Aghayev of Azerbaijan leads a field that includes France’s Luka Mkheidze, a double Olympic medallist. At -66 kg, Japan brings 2025 world champion Takeshi Takeoka.

European athletes are strongly represented in several of the early categories. In the women’s -48 kg class, France’s Shirine Boukli arrives as a world and Olympic medallist. At -52 kg, Germany’s Mascha Ballhaus, Italy’s Odette Giuffrida and Hungary’s Roza Gyertyás are all named among the favourites, even with Abe Uta of Japan in the draw as Tokyo Olympic champion and reigning world champion.

France also has depth at -57 kg, where Faiza Mokdar and Sarah-Léonie Cysique enter with clear ambition. They join a category that includes Timna Nelson Levy of Israel, who comes into the event in excellent form.

In Ulaanbaatar, every Waza-ari now carries Olympic weight.

What stands out most is how quickly the intensity has risen. Even before the qualification window opened, the season had already shown a fierce level across the World Judo Tour. Now that the points count toward LA 2028, every contest carries extra meaning.

This is why Ulaanbaatar feels bigger than a normal stop on the calendar. It is the first real checkpoint of a new Olympic story, one that will unfold over the next two years through consistency, resilience and moments of Ippon brilliance.

The road to Los Angeles starts with pressure from the very first hajime.

By the end of the weekend, medals will be awarded and rankings will move. More importantly, some athletes will leave Mongolia having made the first powerful statement of the LA 2028 cycle.

The journey has started, and in judo, that first step is never a small one.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation